5 nightmare scenarios for Steelers 2023 season and how to avoid them

1. Kenny Pickett could regress

The Steelers are publicly very fullish about Pickett’s future at the quarterback position. That’s an optimistic viewpoint considering how much he struggled as a rookie. He’s got a long way to go before he becomes an average NFL starter.

The best argument for expecting progression from Pickett this year is that he should be able to cut down on his turnovers. He threw nine interceptions against just seven touchdowns during his rookie campaign. That ratio needs to improve drastically if Pittsburgh wants to field a league-average offense.

If that doesn’t change then this year is going to go south for Pittsburgh in a hurry. The franchise does not want to be forced into playing Mitchell Trubisky. If Pickett plays poorly then the Steelers will likely end up with a bad enough record to draft his replacement next offseason.

Pittsburgh’s coaching staff and front office already know the best ways to avoid this nightmare scenario. They’ll base their offense around the run game and play action. Adding a talent like Jones on the offensive line should improve the protection he receives. Keeping things simple for Pickett is the best protection plan for the young quarterback.